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- Author or Editor: D. L. Cawthon x
Abstract
A completely mechanized system for production, harvesting and handling strawberries (Fragaria × anassa Duch.) for processing is described. Pre-harvest cultural factors, including bed preparation, plant population, harvest date and clonal evaluation and adaptability to mechanical harvesting, were studied for 4 years. ‘Cardinal’, ‘Earlibelle’, and Arkansas breeding line A-5344 were well suited for once-over mechanical harvesting under Arkansas conditions considering yield, quality, and organoleptic evaluation. Plant population densities in the matted row system used in this study generally had little effect on yield or quality, unless a clone was of low vigor and poor runner plant producer. As harvest date was delayed, quality and useable yield often decreased. However, a minimum of a 6 day harvest period for mechanical harvesting existed for the cultivars tested. The results of this study indicate that once-over mechanical harvesting of strawberries is feasible when the proper cultivar is grown on properly shaped beds with good cultural practices and adequate postharvest handling procedures.
Abstract
Fruit samples of grape (Vitis labrusca L., cv. Concord) from 6 vineyard locations were collected at 7 to 10-day intervals beginning prior to veraison and continuing through development of 16% soluble solids for a period of 19 years. The 19-year average date for peak bloom in these vineyards was May 19, for 8% soluble solids development was July 27 (69 days from peak bloom), and for 16% soluble solids development was August 23 (96 days from peak bloom). Heat unit summations were more closely related to development of soluble solids than to changes in either titratable acidity or color. Using degree-day accumulations and effective heat unit summations did not prove to be methods superior to use of the number of calendar days for predicting grape maturation. Predictions from 8 to 16% soluble solids development were more accurate than predicting from peak bloom (when 50% of clusters showed bloom). Variations between years and between vineyard locations within a given year prevented accurate predictions from the 3 methods. Other deterrents observed in predicting development of soluble solids included the cultural variables of fruit load and soil moisture.
Abstract
The response of rabbiteye blueberry plants (Vaccinium ashei Reade) to rates and modifications of deep well water (pH 8.7) containing 0.695 dS·m-1 electrical conductivity (EC), a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 29.7, and a bicarbonate concentration of 7.89 meq·liter-1 was compared to plants irrigated with rain and surface waters applied to 3 soils in a glasshouse-container study. Fresh weight increase and root fresh and dry weight were greater on plants irrigated with rainwater or pond water compared to plants irrigated with different rates of deep well water, or deep well water modified by the addition of gypsum or acidified with H2S04. Fresh weight increase, root fresh and dry weight, leaf fresh weight, and top:root ratios were higher on a loamy sand soil than on sandy loam or clay loam soils. Plant weight gain was positively correated with the percentage of sand, and negatively correlated with the percentage of clay and saturation-extract SAR. An increase in soil pH resulted from irrigation with deep well water which, along with its modifications, resulted in increased leaf Na and decreased leaf Ca and Mn, compared to rain or surface-water irrigations, which slightly lowered soil pH.
Abstract
Four of 7 strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa Duch.) clones tested did not benefit in total yield from 1 or 2 hand pickings prior to once-over machine harvest. Four of the clones could be hand picked once without a significant reduction in machine harvested yields. Two clones were low yielding regardless of the harvest method. ‘Sunrise’, a high once-over yielding clone, increased in total yield with hand harvesting but fruit were soft and poorly colored and lacked good field holding and in-plant handling capabilities. ‘Cardinal’ represented a clone with fruit quality and a ripening pattern suitable to a combination of hand and machine harvesting. Fruit remaining on the plants after 1 or 2 hand harvests had a higher percentage of ripe fruit in the once-over harvest than machine harvested fruit not preceded by a hand harvest. The composite once-over machine harvested fruit after 1 or 2 hand pickings showed the same or higher soluble solids, shear press firmness, puree viscosity and color intensity as hand harvested fruit. In clones with high quality fruit, the presence of immature fruit in the onceover harvest did not detract from puree color or flavor acceptability. Selection A-5344 possessed both yield and quality characteristics desired for a completely mechanized harvest for processing.
Abstract
The response of an Arkansas breeding-line 5344 of strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa Duch.) to 0, 1 or 2 hand pickings prior to once-over machine harvest and to the timing of the machine harvest was examined for 3 years on the same planting. Increased yields from 1 or 2 hand pickings prior to machine harvest were lost by delaying machine harvest past the estimated optimum time (80 to 85% ripe fruit). Machine-harvested yield was reduced by hand picking and/or by delaying the time of machine harvest past the optimum period. Machine- harvested fruit quality was reduced in % soluble solids, acidity and color compared to the quality of hand-picked fruit but tended to improve as the number of hand pickings prior to machine harvest increased. Organoleptic evaluations of fruit puree from all harvesting treatments were rated acceptable.